The invention relates to a disc player comprising a housing with an opening for the insertion of a disc-shaped information carrier, a frame, a scanning device with a scanning unit, in particular an optical or magneto-optical scanning unit, a turntable which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and an automatic loading system for moving the information carrier inserted in the opening to the turntable along a loading path and moving the information carrier from the turntable into the opening along an unloading path. The loading system comprises a drive element adapted to be driven by an electrical drive unit and to cooperate with the information carrier, and an actuating unit for actuating a switching means of an electrical circuit for energizing the electrical drive unit. The actuating unit comprises a tilting member with a follower element for cooperation with a main surface of the information carrier, which tilting member can be tilted between at least one operating position, in which the follower element engages with said main surface if the information carrier is present, and a starting position.
The invention also relates to an actuating unit for use in the disc player.
Such a disc player and actuating unit are known from British Patent Application GB 2,141,862 (herewith incorporated by reference). The known disc player comprises an optical scanning unit and a turntable and can be adapted to play audio and/or video discs. Such a disc can be inserted into the disc player via a slot in the front side of the housing, after which a loading mechanism transfers the disc to the turntable. The loading mechanism is also capable of returning the disc into the slot, for example after playing. For this purpose the loading mechanism comprises a drive shaft extending parallel to the slot and having rollers for cooperation with a first main surface of the disc and an actuating unit for the actuation of a switching unit for starting and stopping a drive motor for the drive shaft. The actuating unit comprises one pivotal element which is pivotable about an axis parallel to the drive shaft and which at one end carries following rollers situated opposite the drive shaft, for cooperation with a second main surface of the disc, and which at another end comprises a tongue for the actuation of said switching unit. The known disc player further comprises a detection unit with a switch for stopping the drive motor at an instant at which the inserted disc has reached a predetermined position in the housing. After the disc has been played or an eject button at the outside of the housing has been actuated the drive motor can be started to move out a disc situated inside the housing. The drive motor is stopped as soon as the follower element is no longer in contact with the second main surface of the disc, which then projects partly from the housing.
A drawback of the known disc player is that a disc which has been moved out by the loading system and which projects from the slot cannot be re-inserted automatically.